MESA, Ariz. — James Triantos came to the Arizona Fall League with a reputation for his advanced bat-ball skills. They’ve been evident since his high school days at Virginia, when he drew comparisons to Alex Bregman and David Wright and earned a $2.1 million bonus over the slot as a second-round pick in 2021.
THE Cubs’ No. 9 prospect hit .285 with an 11 percent strikeout rate this summer as one of the youngest regulars (20 years old) in High-A. So it wasn’t much of a surprise that he came to the AFL, a developmental circuit that always favors hitters, and finished second in the batting race with a .417 average.
But Triantos also showed more power, more discipline at the plate and more aggression on the bases with the Mesa Solar Sox than he had previously in his young professional career. He led the Fall League in triples (five), ranked second in slugging (.679), OPS (1.144), hits (35) and total bases (57) and ranked third in fielding percentage. base (.495).
Triantos’ performance earned him the AFL Offensive Player of the Year award. He is the fourth recipient since its introduction in 2021. Marlins outfielder JJ Bleday and Cardinals first baseman Juan Yepez shared the honors the first year, followed by Rockies outfielder Zac Veen last fall.
Triantos said his Fall League experience was everything he hoped for.
“I expected to face good competition and that’s exactly what I’ve done since I’ve been here,” he said. “It’s been a lot of fun. It was a great experience. Just being able to be around all these different guys from different teams, I’ve had nothing but fun since I’ve been here.
Triantos repeats his right-handed swing well and has good feel for the barrel. He’s still young and adds strength to his 6-foot-1 frame, and he’s hit the ball consistently harder in 2023 than the previous season.
Nonetheless, Triantos hit just .390 with four homers in 80 High-A games after missing the first month of the season following surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee. He went deep three times in 22 games with Mesa and drove the ball better than ever.
Triantos attributed his increased power to a subtle adjustment in the timing of his swing.
“The only thing I’ve changed since I’ve been here is starting a little earlier. That’s it,” Triantos said. “I feel like I’m better when I’m simple, so there’s not a lot going on in my head right now. That’s what I’m confident in, so the more I can stick with it and execute it over and over again, the better off I’ll be.
“Honestly, I don’t even think about what my body does when I swing or when I catch. I just went there. And if it looks good, I’ll swing, and when I swing, I hit hard. And if I don’t want to swing, I’ll walk. Keep it as simple as possible and start early. That’s it.”
With marginal speed, Triantos won’t be a prolific base stealer in the big leagues. But he was opportunistic in the Minors and was downright aggressive with the Solar Sox. He managed nine goals in 10 attempts and took advantage of the opportunity to work on that aspect of his game.
“I think it’s very important for me to maintain a sense of urgency on the bases,” Triantos said. “Because when I go there, I feel like it’s hard to throw me out. I’m able to better understand how pitchers work, timing, all that kind of stuff, just trying to become a better baserunner.
The next step in Triantos’ development will be finding a defensive home. He lacked range and had issues with throwing accuracy at third base in 2022. He looked more natural at second base this summer, although he didn’t have the ideal quickness for the keystone, and Gold Glover Nico Hoerner holds the position in Chicago.
Triantos played some center field for the first time this year and started games at second, center, third and left field for Mesa. He also spent four innings at shortstop. Its long-term position remains to be determined.
Ultimately, it will be Triantos’ bat that takes him to the big leagues and provides most of his value there. After dominating the Fall League, he appears to be poised for breakthrough in 2024 and could arrive at Wrigley Field sooner than expected.
